9/15/08

TOO MUCH ZUCCHINI???


I read about one lady who did her first garden & planted 10 zucchini hills... Do you know what that produced? A whopping 16 bushels of zucchini!

Maybe you didn't end up with THAT many, but here are a couple of ideas for using up what you have left, after your neighbors finally tell you to stop donating it to them :)

If what I've shared here just isn't enough, then feel free to visit this site FULL of zucchini recipes!!!

www.basic-recipes.com/veget/zucchini.htm

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DEHYDRATED ZUCCHINI:

SHRED ZUCCHINI OR CHOP INTO SMALL PIECES, & LAY EVENLY ON DEHYDRATOR TRAYS. LET DRY TILL FAIRLY CRISPY, & STORE IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER FOR FUTURE USE IN SOUPS, BREADS, PIZZA TOPPING, ETC...

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DEHYDRATED ZUCCHINI CHIPS:

CUT YOUR ZUCCHINI INTO THIN SLICES & LAY EVENLY ON DEHYDRATOR TRAYS. SPRINKLE LIGHTLY WITH SEA SALT OR YOUR FAVORITE SEASONING (BBQ, HERBS, LEMON PEPPER ETC...)
LET DEHYDRATE TILL SLIGHTLY CRISPY (THEY MAY STILL BEND JUST A LITTLE). STORE IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER & SNACK AWAY!

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CARROT/ZUCCHINI PIZZA:

YOU'LL NEED A PIZZA CRUST (I'LL TRY TO POST A RECIPE LATER, BUT FOR NOW, JUST 'GOOGLE' IT :o)

ON TOP OF YOUR CRUST LAYER IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER:

PIZZA/PASTA SAUCE (WHATEVER TASTE YOU PREFER)
MOZZARELLA CHEESE
SHREDDED CARROTS
SHREDDED ZUCCHINI
LIGHT SPRINKLE OF SALT & PEPPER (OPTIONAL)
A TINY BIT MORE CHEESE

BAKE AT 425 FOR 15-20 MINS...
(UNTIL CHEESE IS MELTED & TOP BEGINS TO BROWN)

*I'M THINKING NEXT TIME I MAKE IT I'LL ADD A LAYER OF CHICKEN TOO!
IT MIGHT EVEN BE YUMMY WITH FRESH RANCH DRESSING INSTEAD OF PIZZA SAUCE! MMMMM!!!!!

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CRUSTY TOP ZUCCHINI BREAD:

1 C. BUTTERMILK OR SOUR MILK (ADD 1T. VINEGAR TO REGULAR MILK)
1 1/2 C. BROWN SUGAR
2/3 C. OIL
1 LARGE EGG
1 1/2 C. SHREDDED ZUCCHINI
1/2 C. FINELY CHOPPED NUTS
1 TSP. SALT
1 TSP. BAKING SODA
1 TSP. VANILLA
2 1/2 C. FLOUR

TOPPING:
1/2 C. SUGAR
1 T. MELTED BUTTER
1/2 TSP. CINNAMON

COMBINE LIQUID INGREDIENTS... ADD SIFTED DRY INGREDIENTS...THEN ADD ZUCCHINI & NUTS.
MIX WELL. POUR INTO 2 WELL GREASED LOAF PANS.

COMBINE TOPPING INGREDIENTS & SPRINKLE ON TOP.

BAKE AT 325 DEGREES FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES. (DON'T OVER BAKE)
WHEN DONE BAKING, REMOVE BREAD FROM PANS AFTER 2-3 MINUTES & COOL ON RACK.

(YOU CAN LINE THE LOAF PANS WITH PARCHMENT PAPER ON THE BOTTOM, THEN GREASE THE SIDES FOR EASIER REMOVAL.)

9/2/08

60 Day Menu Plan

Well, in the awesome training I took from www.simplylivingsmart.com - They taught us how to rotate food storage with a menu plan. Anitra (the trainer) has a 90 day menu! Her family eats each dinner food only 3 times a year! I am doing my best to get to a 60 day menu.

With the exception of a few meals, most of them can be made from my storage items. (I store a lot of canned meat!) I tried to do that so I could build my food storage around what we eat & rotate it easier. I even have some breakfast foods in there, cause we love breakfast. I cook most of my stuff from scratch & use whole grains. Really, the only one I'm not big & huge on is the hot dogs! I can handle them if they're grilled to a crisp, on a whole wheat toasted bun, & topped with ketchup & cheese.

So far, here's what I have... (JUST 52 SO FAR) Help! I need more! Please leave a comment if you have any other ideas & recipes...

1 ROAST BEEF OVER RICE
2 CORNED BEEF
3 TURKEY & POTATOES
4 CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS
5 SPAGHETTI
6 ENCHILADA SOUP
7 SPICED CHICKEN
8 STIR FRY
9 HAWAIIAN PASTA SALAD
10 PEPPERONI PIZZA
11 VEGETABLE PIZZA
12 HAWAIIAN PIZZA
13 CHICKEN RANCH PIZZA
14 TACO SALAD
15 SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN
16 HOAGIE SANDWICHES
17 HAWAIIAN HAYSTACKS
18 HAMBURGERS
19 HOT DOGS (Gotta make the kids happy sometimes...)
20 CHICKEN POT PIE
21 SUPER SPUDS
22 CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
23 BEEF ENCHILADAS
24 CHICKEN VEGETABLE SOUP
25 LASAGNA
26 BEEF STEW
27 TACOS
28 TOSTADAS
29 CHILI
30 TOSSED SALAD
31 FRUIT & NUT SPINACH SALAD
32 MACARONI & CHEESE (HOMEMADE)
33 'BAKED' FRIED CHICKEN
34 FRENCH DIP
35 TUNA CASSEROLE
36 CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
37 OATMEAL
38 HAM, EGG, & CHEESE SANDWICHES
39 GRILLED CHEESE
40 FRENCH TOAST
41 PANCAKES
42 PITA SANDWICH WITH SPROUTS
43 CLAM CHOWDER
44 QUICHE
45 CREAM OF BROCCOLI SOUP
46 CHICKEN BURRITOS
47 ITALIAN PASTA SALAD
48 PARMESAN CHICKEN
49 BEEF BURGUNDY
50 BBQ SANDWICHES
51 CATFISH & HUSH PUPPIES
52 CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD

I ALSO LOOOOOOVE SALMON A LOT, BUT I'D HAVE TO DISGUISE IT SOMEHOW, CAUSE MY HUSBAND IS NOT A BIG FISH PERSON. TOO BAD HUH? HE DOES LIKE MY CATFISH, BUT NOT MUCH ELSE.

AND I'M REALLY PUSHING IT ON TACOS & TOSTADAS, CAUSE THEY'RE ALMOST THE SAME THING! I'M JUST DESPERATE, I GUESS...

OH! AND I NEED IDEAS FOR MORE SIDE DISHES TOO. THIS IS ALL I HAVE:

-FRUIT SALAD
-FROG EYE SALAD
-TOSSED SALAD
-ASSORTED CANNED FRUITS
-ASSORTED CANNED OR FROZEN VEGES
-FRESH BREAD
-MASHED POTATOES (OR OTHER POTATO DISHES)
-RICE DISHES